A BARNSLEY beauty queen who was badly injured in a road accident shortly before her biggest ever contest has flown back to England.

Samantha Milewski was in Mannheim, Germany, representing the United Kingdom and Ireland, in the Queen of the World pageant.

But before the competition she broke both legs, fractured an arm, a shoulder and suffered serious facial injuries when she was knocked over by a van.

The 21-year-old, winner of Barnsley Walkabout's bikini babe competition in the summer, needed plastic surgery on her lips and nose and was detained in a German hospital for a week.

Her horrific story featured in the Bild national newspaper and on several news programmes in Germany.

Surgeons had to pin one of her legs and told Samantha, of Edward Road, West Melton, it will be at least six weeks before she can walk.

Samantha, known as Sammy, is now recovering in Rotherham hospital, where she also works as an administrator. She said she can remember crossing the road and then waking up in German hospital.

"I am glad to be home. My sister was over there but I just wanted to come home. I have got loads of friends and family who have sent me loads of love and there were banners outside the house when I returned home on Sunday. That lifted my spirits.

"I was in Germany for two weeks and before the accident it was a great experience. The accident happened in the last two days."